don't wanna be torn

1.2

"thestia black-greengrass," she heard mcgonagall call out after a few more names, and she slowly made her way up to the front.

she heard the hat deliberating under its breath as it sat on her head. "hm... the offspring of black and greengrass, two very prominent slytherin families... there is no desire for greatness here though... not gryffindor with the way she's shaking... though... hm... what to do? what to do?"

she squeezed her eyes shut, willing it to make a decision already, thinking about the twins and the kindness that cedric had shown her on the train-

with a little grunt to itself the hat finally shouted out, "HUFFLEPUFF."

the hat was taken away from her, and she made her way to the table, watching her tie switch over to a brilliant yellow and black. she tried to hold back the panic in her chest at the thought of her own failure. hufflepuff? how was she supposed to explain this to her aunt and uncle? just as quickly as it surfaced though her anxiety quieted with the next name.

"cedric diggory... hufflepuff!"

at least i won't be alone. she clapped her hands, excited to have someone she now knew around her, and pulled him down next to her. she hugged him briefly and bid him welcome to the house.

"angelina johnson... gryffindor!"

"lee jordan to gryffindor!"

"george weasley- gryffindor!" the hat announced proudly, as george let out a whoop. quickly joined by his brother at the table and getting a few nods or thumbs up from his brothers further down the table from him. she felt a small smile form, knowing molly and arthur would be proud.

she felt her eyes drifted over to the twins though, enjoying themselves with the other gryffindors. she noticed one of them turn just in time to make eye contact with her, though she couldn't be sure from the distance. she didn't have time to think about it either as she gave her attention to the headmaster as he started his brief speech.

"tuck in!" he finished with a flourish, and thestia was brought back to reality. she looked around her at the other hufflepuffs and cedric, and while she was incredibly happy to be there, she couldn't help but let her mind wander to the implications of the sorting hat's decision for home. It had never planned on sorting her into slytherin at all.

bollocks. the greengrasses would absolutely kill her. not only was she sorted into a house other than slytherin- though gryffindor would've been worse- but she'd also spent far too much time thinking about the weasley boys for one day. or even a month really.

she shook her head and the thoughts away, reminding herself that it was her first night at hogwarts, and everything would be perfectly okay as long as she ignored them for the rest of the year. preferably for her family, the rest of her life.